Method of weaving



United States Patent [72] inventor Johann Stingl,

Hohenberg (Eger), Germany [21] Appl. No. 768,859 [22] Filed Oct. 18, 1968 [45 Patented Sept. 29, 1970 [73] Assignee Georg Fischer Ltd., Brugg,

Brugg, Switzerland [54] METHOD OF WEAVING 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 139/122, 139/127 [51 Int. Cl. D03d 47/00 [50] Field of'Search 139/122-127. 302, 303

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,144,882 8/1964 Steiner 139/122 3,276,482 10/1966 Liebchen 139/122 FORElGN PATENTS 1,518,797 2/1968 France ABSTRACT: The present invention relates to a method of weaving in shuttleless weaving machines of the type in which weft is drawn from a supply or supplies fixed outside the shed of a fabric being woven and in which weft is inserted as picks by means so devised and operated as to inject a loop of weft drawn from the supply into the shed, until enough has been measured off for a complete pick, then holding the weft from being drawn from the cone, cutting the weft close to the fabric edge where it is connected to a previous pick and extending that cut end to the opposite edge of the shed whereupon the same may be beaten into the fell of the already formed fabric. This is accomplished in such a manner that single picks out at each end are inserted, the fabric is identical at both sides without limitations as to density, and this is effected by insertion means constructed as simple weft carriers as contrasted to grippers for gripping and transferring an end only of a weft thread.

Patented Sept. 29, 1970 3,530,903

Sheet 2 of3 INVENTOR.

Johahri SI'ingl METHOD OF WEAVING BACKGROUND THE INVENTION.

Weaving machines are known in which weft is inserted in the form of connected pairs of picks referred to as hairpins wherein a closed selvage is formed at the insertion side and weft extends as a so-called fringe at the opposite side, for example, the weaving machine of U.S. Pat. No. 2,641,285. Also a great deal of effort has been spent in devising gripper type rapier looms wherein a pick is drawn or extended all the way through a shed or in which one rapier carrier grips an end of weft, inserts it to the midpoint of a shed and then transfers that end to a second gripper carrier which draws it the remainder of the distance.

With the hairpin" system it is very easy to engage a weft held in the path of a carrier and also to transfer it to a second carrier after a loop has been measured and projected into the shed. However, this system has up to now, been used almost exclusively to insert hairpins and not single or independent picks. This has meant that a weft change for color or mixing has not been simple or easy. It could not be used for pick-apick work. Gripping an end and transferring it to another gripper type carrier has presented difficulties with fine or tender yarns, in cases where considerable lint is present, and gives rise to picks of different tensions and failure to insert a complete pick at times. Gripper carriers are always more complicated, easily lose their adjustment and are more costly. They can miss the weft or fail to transfer more often.

With hairpin" insertion both edges of fabric are not alike and in subsequent processing this can cause difficulties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION manner, and inserting a loop of this weft into the shed uptoa point adjacent the center of the shed until enough weft has been drawn off to reach across the shed when the loop is straightened out. The main body of warp is supplemented by a small number or narrow band of warp threads which may be of the same or different material from that of the main warp and these must be spaced a sufficient distance from the edge of the main warp (eventually to become the fabric edge) so as to permit insertion and actuation of a cutter between the two as will be-explained.

An inserting carrier is moved to pick up the weft positioned in its pathway and extending from the previously beaten-up pick through a positioning eyelet and a clamp actuated in a particular timed relationship, and back to the supply cone. As the said carrier projects the weft into the open shed, a cutter is moved into the space between the edge of the main body of warp and the supplemental warp in advance of the last beat-in pick but in a position to pick up or receive the stretch of weft running from the last pick around the supplemental warp and to the carrier. The cutter receives this weft but does not cut it until enough has been drawn from the supply and measured off to reach across the shed and slightly beyond.

At that time the clamp is closed to prevent further withdrawal from the supply and a transfer is made from the first carrier to the second while the weft is still under tension. The cutter then severs the weft leaving a short end and loop at the supplemental warp and the carriers are withdrawn, the second carrier extending the severed end to its edge of the fabric. The shed is closed in time to prevent the weft end from snapping back as the carrier releases it. The cutter is withdrawn out of the way of the reed which then moves forwardly to beat in the pick.

Now, the method thus far described presupposes a single weft or no weft change. However, as will be described, there may be a number of weft yarns provided and they may differ in color, or otherwise, as desired.

The supplemental warp threads and the weft loops held therein are sheared away from the main body of fabric, either on the weaving machine or in a later operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the general arrangement of a weaving machine in which the invention is practiced;

FIG. 2 is a more detailed view of part of what is shown in FIG. 1;

FIG.'3 is an elevation of a multiple weft clamp used in the weaving machine;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the vertical center line of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a weft cutter employed, the parts being in position to pick up a weft pick prior to cutting;

FIG. 6 is a similar view but showing parts withdrawn prior to beatup; and

FIG. 7 is a section through the cutter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention is to be described as practiced in a shuttleless weaving machine generally constructed and operated as that of U.S. Pat. No. 2,641,285. Here the machine comprises as essential elements a slay 1 carried on slay swords 2, this slay also having a reed 3 clamped rigidly to it by a clamping member 4. The fabric indicated at 5 is formed by the interweaving of warp threads 6 and one or more weft threads 7 and 8 drawn from supply cones 9 and I0 positioned at one end of the weaving machine. It is to be understood that the method may be practiced with simple weaves wherein a single type of weft is inserted, that is, no yarn change is effected; or, a multi-weft is employed in which two or more weft supplies serve to effect color work, weft mixing or patterned work in which wefts of different counts, materials or physical characteristics are used.

The illustration here involves two wefts only for simplicity of explanation and these are moved to and from a position to be engaged by a weft depressor 11, by yarn guide fingers or positioners 12 and 13 for the wefts 7 and 8, respectively. These yarn fingers are under the control of pattern selecting means (not shown) but which may be of any suitable type depending upon the intricacy of pattern desired and the number of wefts involved,

As described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,014,503, an inserting carrier 14 fixed to the end of a flexible tape 15 is reciprocated by an oscillating system at 16, again described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,641.285. A withdrawing carrier 17. see U.S. Pat. No. 3,034,539, fixed to tape 18 is likewise reciprocated into and from the shed of a fabric being woven. These carriers effect a transfer of the weft at a point adjacent the shed midpoint in known manner. The weft threads 7 and 8 when drawn from their cones preferably pass first through tension devices 19 and 20 by which a relatively small amount of tension or drag is imposed upon the weft. These wefts then pass through a clamp or binder device generally indicated at 21 and which will be described in detail later. It may suffice to say here that this clamp affects a number of wefts, individually holding them at that part of the cycle where no weft is to be drawn from the supply but releases the weft being drawn for running freely when it is to be drawn from the supply. Incidentally, it may release the others at the same time but this is not important as they are not at that time affected.

A narrow band of warp threads 22 are also drawn through the reed but spaced from the main warp sheet by an amount sufficient for safe operation of a cutter generally indicated at 23 which will also be described in detail hereinafter. This cutter and the clamp are two mechanisms not a part of the basic weaving machine as it has been employed according to the initially contemplated method, that is, for a hairpin system.

At the front of the weaving machine a casing 24 supported on breast beam 25 carries a shaft 26 rotatable in bearings in the casing and driven in properly timed relationship to the weaving cycle by means shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,604,123. This shaft has earns 27 and 28 adjustably fixed thereon which control the movement of the depressor 11 through plungers 29 and 30. The latter acts on the depressor by connections which include cranks or levers 31 and 32 and links 33 and 34. This is all available in US. Pat. 2,604,l 23 so will not be further detailed here. The depressor acts to pull that one of the wefts being fed at a particular time by its guide 12 or 13. to a position to be picked up by carrier 14 as it is recipro cated toward the shed.

A cam 35 also fixed to rotate with shaft 26 acts to reciprocate a combined plunger and rack 36 to actuate the cutter as will be described in following paragraphs. At the opposite end of the shaft a cam 37 acts on a plunger 38 which, through a link 39, affects clamp 21 to open and close the individual elements as will be described.

Now having described in general one form of a weaving machine in which the novel method may be accomplished, the steps of the method itself will be explained. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the weft 7 is in withdrawn or nonactive position and weft 8 is in position by proper manipulation of guide 12, to have been engaged by the depressor 11 and pulled down in known manner to be presented to the incoming carrier 14. At that time the weft has extended back from the edge of the false selvage or warp 22 and the last inserted pick of that particular weft through guide 12, clamp 21, which is opened just prior to engagement of the weft by the depressor, the tension 20 and the cone 10.

The carrier 14 continues inwardly, depressor 11 is moved back to disengage the weft, until enough weft has been measured off to reach across the shed and a little beyond. At that time the cutter 23 will have been moved to position in the space between the band of warp threads 22 and the edge of the warp sheet 6 with its receiving notch, see FIG. 5, in position for the entry of the weft. The carriers 14 and 17 interengage and the weft loop is transferred to the carrier 17. At that time the clamp 21 is closed so no more weft can be drawn from the cone and once transfer is completed, cutter 23 severs the pick so that the loop 40 remains in the false selvage or warp 22 but the Weft between the loop and the carrier 14 is cutand freetg be drawn by carrier 17 across the shed.

That is done as in the patents above noted, ana'iii'i'y'ihh' moves forwardly to beat the pick into place at the fell of the fabric. The slay then returns to its rearmost position. That completes the cycle and the parts and weft 8 are again in initial position to start another pick.

If it is desired to withdraw weft 8 and insert weft 7, as in color change, for example, guide 12 is retracted and 13 is moved to operative position so at the next pick that weft which has been floated from the last pick in which it was inserted will be drawn down by the depressor and picked up by carrier 14 and the cycle restarted with the changed color.

Now referring to F I GS. 3 and 4:11 Hie disclosure of one form of clamp which may be employed will be made. The primary elements of this clamp are the mobile clamping spring 41 which press against stationary clamping springs 42 of the device. While the number of wefts may be only two, that figure may go up to at least eight, the clamp here described being designed for that number. The weft 7 or 8, as the case may be, are guided to run between these springs as they pass through eyelets 43 and 44, a pair for each pair of springs. The stationary and the mobile clamping springs do not necessarily require parallel relationship since, when closed they are pressed together and otherwise are opened sufficiently to permit unrestricted flow of the weft.

In the device a sector-shaped baseplat e 45 with 5115b 46 and holding portion or bracket 47 is attached to the weaving machine frame or other suitable fixed part, the bracket being in effect, an integral part of the plate. Attached to the base plate 45 by means of screws 48 is a segment or rim 49 in which the clamping springs 41 are inserted, preferably by being soldered in the rim. The hub 46 supports a shaft 50 fixed by a set screw 51 on which a mobile segment hub 52 is oscillatable on needle bearings 53, 54. It is secured against axial displacement by means of washer 55 and screw 56.

The clamping springs 42 are recessed in projections or sectors 57, 58 fixed to hub 52. Mounted on a tenon 59 rigidly connected to the projection or sector 58 is a ball or other bearing 60 which laterally abuts against a spacer 61 and a washer 62 attached'by means of a screw 63 having a grooved head. Guided in a bracket or holding portion 47 by guides 64, 65 is a positioning member or plunger 66 which is moved by control from the cam 37, FIG. 2, and acts, against the force of a tension spring 67 hooked into the groove in screw head 63 and about a pin 68. The segments 57, 58 are moved by the plunger and spring throughout a small angular extent so that the clamping spring 42 are moved against or away from the fixed springs 41. A flat annular, segmental bar 69 is attached to the base plate 45 by means of screws 70, one at either end, and the eyelets 43 are held in this to align with eyelets 44 in plate 45.

Now referring to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, a cutter which may be used to sever the pick as described is operated from the cam 35 through a plunger or push rod 36. This latter also has teeth 71 cut in its lower face to act as a rack in mesh with pinion 72. Attached to the casing 24 is a support or arm 73 which is provided with a forked portion 74 in which an arm 75 swivelable about a pivot 76 is arranged. With a rotatable roller 77 the arm 75 operates under the action of a tension spring 78 attached to pins 79, 80 against the push rod and rack 36, keeping it in contact with the cam 35. This also constitutes the return motion for the cutter to raise it to inactive position. Teeth 71 are always in mesh with those of pinion 72 fixed to a shaft 81 which carries the cutter 23.

According to FIG. 7, the weft thread cutter device comprises a fixed cutter half 82 with a hub 83 and a sleeve portion 84 with a threaded end on which the mobile cutter half 85 is mounted on a needle or other bearing 86. This half 85 extends from a hub 87 and the latter is held in position by thrust bearing 88. They are further secured by nut 89. The terms fixed" and movable as here used, refer to the relationship of the cutter parts to the shaft 81.

Firmly fixed in mobile cutter half 85 is a cap bolt 90 about which is coiled a spring 91 of which one end 92 rests against the hub or annular portion 87 of the mobile cutter half while the other end 93 exerts pressure on a pin 94 fast in the fixed half 82. The weft thread cutting device is attached by means of one or more set screws 95 to the shaft 81 at a point corresponding to the width of the fabric and in properly adjusted relationship to shaft 81.

The spring 91 causes the fixed cutter half 82 and mobile half 85 to be held in position as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in which as limited by pin 94 in a slot 96, a U-shaped recess 97 with a cutting edge 98 of the mobile cutter half 85 exposed to a cutting edge 99 of the cutter half 82. That is, spring 91 normally holds the cutter halves in a non-cutting relationship. Still referring to FIG. 5, the weft cutter is in weft catching position so that the U-shaped recess 97 is located in front of a weft pick P just being inserted in the shed. The pick must thus come to be located between the cutting edges 98 and 99.

When the carrier 14 transfers the weft thread to the carrier 17, the mobile cutter half 85 is locked since a lobe 101, FIG. 5, rests against a stop 102 fixed to or a part of the control casing or housing 24, while the shaft and fixed cutter 82 are rotated further, the cutting edge 99 severing the pick P in conjunction with the cutting edge 98.

plated, then while a cutter must be used, it is not necessary to employ more than one weft guide nor is it necessary to substitute a multiple weft clamp for that normally employed. Both will be actuated by the usual mechanism and in very nearly the usual cycle although timing may be varied as required.

The false selvage may be severed on the weaving machine as the fabric progresses to the takeup roll as by a cutter, FIG. 2. Again, it may be disposed of in a later operation.

This disclosure of the invention is to be interpreted as illustrative of a method of weaving and while it has been described as practiced on a known type of loom in general, and by reference to certain specific functional components applied to this machine, it is quite within the scope of the invention to practice it on other weaving machines of the same general type and with very different components. The invention is not to be restricted except by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. A method of inserting single picks with cut ends in a shed of a fabric being woven in a weaving machine of the type in which reciprocating carriers are used to draw weft from a stationary supply and measure off a pick thereof in the form of a loop, releasing an end of that weft when the pick has been measured and drawing that released end through to the opposite end of the shed, characterized in that, in addition to a main warp which is shed and into which picks of weft are woven, a narrow band of warp threads are spaced a short space from the edge of the main warp, and after each pick of weft is measured between a selvage loop at said narrow band of warp threads and the supply as it is drawn from that supply, the weft is held against further withdrawal from the supply and is cut between the edge of the main warp and the narrow band of warp threads and the cut end then extended to the opposite end of the shed.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein a plurality of wefts are thus woven by effecting change of the wefts to be measured, cut and extended in accordance with some pattern. 

